As summer approaches, many of us will have well-deserved holidays abroad booked. The trips themselves can be expensive with flights, accommodation and spending money, but many of us forget about the unexpected cost of parking at the airport.
We often pick the easiest parking option with the shortest distance to travel between car and terminal. That is fine, but generally it is the most expensive choice so it could be worth scrolling down those options. Many airports have a far cheaper rate that may involve a 10 or 15-minute bus shuttle to the airport departures building, and these can introduce substantial savings.
Here, as a guide to help you make that decision, we take a look at some of the major UK airports and their parking charges. One word of advice though – don’t leave it until the last minute as you can save hundreds of pounds by booking in advance.
London Heathrow: Parking at one of the world’s busiest airports may take a little planning in order to secure the best deals in advance. The Long Stay car park costs £37.70 for the first day and then £30.30 for each day after that. However, if booking on peak dates (of which there are many) the costs increase to £43.20 and £34.50 respectively. There are other options such as Meet & Greet, plus Pod Parking (a bus service currently operates replacing the driverless electric pod transfers).
London Gatwick: Parking costs at London Gatwick vary depending on how near you need to be to the terminal building. Short Stay parking costs £45 for 12 to 24 hours and then £45 each additional day. Premium Short Stay which is a stone’s throw from the terminal costs an extra £10 per 24 hours. Long Stay is a five-minute bus transfer away with the shuttle running every 10-15 minutes. This costs £30 for the first day and then £25 thereafter. There is now a minimum £5 charge for just dropping someone off at the airport.
London City: With its location in the heart of the Capital, London City Airport has a reputation for being a pricey place to park up. We checked an advance booking for seven days and it came back at £179.38 for an official on-site early booker ticket. This is for parking that has a transfer time of up to five minutes.
Newcastle: There is a relatively new Premium Fast Track Parking service at Newcastle Airport located directly outside the terminal. It includes extra wide parking bays, covered walkways and costs £37 for one day, with an addition £35 charge per day if you're away for longer. The Long Stay parking costs £52 for two days, £76 for four days and £12 for each additional day.
Glasgow: Glasgow's Long Stay Car Park has a minimum 3 day stay charge of £50, with a £15 fee for everyday after that. The short stay parking is located just opposite the terminal building but will cost £36 for the first 24 hours and £26 for every 24 hours thereafter.
Manchester: There are lots of options for parking at Manchester Airport. The Drop & Go service means you don’t have to search for a parking space as your car will be parked for you. This costs from £69.99 for eight days. Manchester has multi-storey carparks at all three terminals, costing £97 for eight days. As with most airports, it’s worth searching the options and planning ahead to make the best savings.
Liverpool: The Long Stay car park at Liverpool Airport, which is a five minute walk from the terminal building, costs from £49.99 a week; Fast Track, which is a one-minute walk is priced from £124.99 a week; the multi-storey which is also about a one-minute walk from the terminal costs £71.99 for a week and the Family Fast Track parking (also a minute away) is priced from £124.99.
Birmingham: There are a number of car parks where you can leave your vehicle when jetting off from Birmingham Airport and the prices vary accordingly. Car Parks 1, 2 and 3 are £56 for 24 hours and £56 per day thereafter. Car Park 4 is £110 for two days and each additional day costs £37. Car Park 5 is £107 for three days and £15 per additional day. Car Park 7 is £43 for the first day and then £14 for each extra day.
Edinburgh: Parking in the multi-storey ranges from £24 for three hours to £210 for four days. Mid-stay parking costs from £9 for 30 minutes to £270 for eight days with each additional day costing £35. Long stay is free for 30 minutes and £210 for nine days with a cost of £28 for each additional day. Plane Parking is £7 for an hour up to £200 for nine days and £25 each extra day.
Cardiff: If you’re flying off from the capital of Wales, then the prices at Cardiff Airport’s Long Stay Car Park cost from £105 for five days, £170.50 for 10 days, £245.50 for 15 days, £250 for 25 days and £485.50 for 31 days. Each extra day then costs £15. Prices in the Short Stay Car Park are more expensive at £196.50 for 10 days, £421.50 for 25 days and £511.50 for 31 days. There are also a number of off-site parking options.
Belfast: The Main Car Park at Belfast International Airport is ideal for business and short break passengers and it is conveniently located directly in front of the terminal building. When we checked the cost of a week’s parking booked in advance, it was £71.99. The Long Stay Car Park is a six minute walk from the terminal and the same seven-day booking would cost £59.99.
Stansted: The Meet & Greet service is a pre-booked price of £80 for eight days. The Mid-Stay which involves a seven-minute shuttle bus ride costs £67.99 for eight days (pre-booked). On the day it costs £204. The pre-booked Long Stay which is a 15-miunte shuttle ride away is £59.99 (£172 on the day).
Leeds Bradford Airport: A quick look at the Leeds Bradford Airport Parking Shop reveals a number of options for passengers wanting to leave their car whilst holidaying away. Prices ranged from £37 per day for the Sentinel Security Parking to £49 for the official On Airport Long Stay car park.
So clearly there are lots of choices to make and it’s certainly worth shopping around and planning ahead with so many pre-booking offers to be gained. There are also a number of discounted vouchers that can cut the costs even further, so definitely do your research before travelling.